Where Is Your Anger Leading You?

The Webster Dictionary defines anger as a feeling of displeasure usually of antagonism. The definition of antagonism means a strong feeling of dislike or hatred; a desire to oppose something [(I would also add someone(s)] you disagree with.  I have been here on earth for a little while now; far less than many, yet longer than some, and as I get older, I see people crash out over the simplest of issues. Some of this I see and read about on social media, and also in public places like the market,  retail stores, restuarants, parks and even cruise lines.

Almost all of what I read about and see is ridiculous. I expect small children to whine when they cannot get their way, but adolescents, teenagers and adults? They should be ashamed of themeselves but they are not. In fact, the person who yells the loudest, cusses and fights the most is deemed the biggest and toughest on the block. Their unruly behavior is a badge of honor to them. 

What their delinquent attitude reveals is that they are out of control and will not try to resolve their issues in a civil matter. These people also prove they have no peace and joy in their lives. If no one can sit a person like that down and try to reason with them, leave them alone - get far away from them! If they are unwilling to receive counsel from anyone, they will end up in an interrogation room or getting fired from the job very soon due to their angry out of control violent behavior.

How the Bible describes angry people

Proverbs 14:17 - A quick tempered man acts foolishly. and a man of wicked intentions is hated

Proverbs 22:24-25 - Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and get a snare for your soul

Proverbs 25:28 - Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls

Proverbs 26:24-25 - Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart

Proverbs 29:11 - A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back

Proverbs 14:12 & Proverbs 16:25 - There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end  thereof are the ways of death

Proverbs 21:9 & Proverbs 25:4 - It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife

Clearly the godless angry person is a fool. He or she must be avoided at all times. They have no discretion or decorum. Their disposition is constipated. These people are from all walks of life; from the out house to the white house. The one thing all of them have in common, they are devoid of God's Spirit; they are children of their father the devil (John 8:44). 

Being children of Satan is never an excuse for bad behavior though. You know why? We all know when we have done or right or wrong. The conscience is a built in faculty and awareness system the Lord has placed in all of us to excuse us when we do what is right, or accuse us when we do wrong. No one has an excuse for their wickedness. 

The devil did not make you do it.

Believe it or not, God commands us in some situations to be angry. We are to be angry over sin and unrighteousness; not just other peoples sins, but our own as well.

An example of when we should be angry at sin is in 1 Corinthians 5.

Paul finds out that a man is having sexual relations with his father's wife, his step mother, in the church! Paul is appalled because he said this type of thing is not even happening upon the heathen. The Corinthians were promoting and celebrating incest. Paul told them you should be sorrowful over this but you are not (vs. 2). Paul commands them to put that immoral person out of the church assembly for they are corrupt and their sinful ways are contaminating the house of the Lord.

Read the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 5 for full context.

Do we not see this every year in June during Gay Pride Month? The LGBTQIA+ community celebrate their perversions along with their supporters. The footage of these celebrations are modern day Sodom and Gommorah. These are the things we as believers should be sorrowful about but many are not because they love their sin and the sin of others. Some of their family members and friends are part of the community so they have a soft spot for the lifestyle. Society tells us it is not loving to not support those who want to express unnatural affection sexually. Because of this toxic empathy for sin, biological men - transgender women; sexual predators are playing in women's sports, going to women's bathrooms and dressing rooms with your daughters, sisters, mothers and wives. 

Why is there no outrage for this?

Because people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil (John 3:19).

The basis of one's anger reveals their character. What is on the inside of us will eventually manifest itself through our actions. Jesus said out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). This manifestation is both good and evil. 

If one has a pathology of uncontrolled rage over nothing, that person is immature and need to grow up. Accept the fact that everything will not go your way, and people will always say things you do not like. Often times many people make themselves victims of something they heard - that had nothing to do with them and their anger is manufactured and not real. They just want pity and to be pacified. 

Realize life is hard and can be merciless at times. Solomon provides this wisdom, "If you fall in the day of adversity your strength is small" (Proverbs 24:10). What that tells me is that we need to develop our strength so that we stand in the tough times. 

Anger is not evil if it is outrage against unrighteousness. It is holy and good if we are angry for the Lord's sake. The Bible commands us to be angry and not sin (Ephesians 4:26). Examine carefully what you are angry about and where it may lead you - to glory and praise from God, or to shame and disgrace.

Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

- Galatians 4:16

What are you looking at?

                                  Dedicated to Candice J. Arnold   

The title of this article is inspired by my wife. In my prayer time yesterday (i.e.7/3/26) the Lord reminds me of His word all the time. The passages that really ministered to me deeply were Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus speaking, “Come to Me all you who are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest. To my yoke upon you and learn of Me for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  

The majority of the world is yoked and burdened with their sin. That’s too heavy of a load. Jesus wants us to exchange our load for His. Problem with the world is they hate the pain sin produces, but love the rebellion because defiance is adrenaline to us; sin satifies our lustful flesh. Most do not think of the consequences ahead of time. We cannot pay the debt of our sin. Whoever dies in sin is yoked and burdened with their sin for all eternity in the lake of fire / hell. 

Jesus being God knows the fate of all mankind offers soul rest, in the here and now. When a person repents, and believes the gospel of Jesus Christ, they are granted salvation, i.e. rest for their soul. 

Now, this is where many get confused and discouraged.

When one focuses only on the problems of this present age and not on our heavenly inheritance (I'm speaking to Christians), despair and doubt creeps in and begins to dominate our thinking. This is where many have their faith shipwrecked. Why? Because like Peter when he focused on Jesus and not the crashing waves around him he could do the impossible, even walk on water. But, once he took his eyes off Jesus, and looked at the waves of the sea, doubt and fear set in and he begin to sink. Had Jesus not been there to save him, he would have drowned (Matthew 14:22-31).

If you're not in Christ you have absolutely no hope for the future. You are a dead person walking. Believe it or not I am speaking the truth to you in love (Ephesians 4:15). Humanitarianism is not the answer. Neither is philanthropy. These are only works of the flesh that produces praise of men, but not praise from God. You must switch loads with Jesus if you want to be free.

The Bible Is Our Telescope

The basic definition of a telescope is an instrument used to view distant objects through light / refraction. I liken the word of God to a telescope becuase it allows us not to see just the future, but all the way to eternity, that which we cannot see with the naked eye. What I am saying is God's truth lights our pathway to know Him and His ways (Psalm 119:105). God through His holy word lovingly commands us how we are to live on earth so that we do not stumble and continually be crash test dummies for the devil. The Bible puts God and His throne in our laps! The scripture transports us to heaven where we sit at His throne, hear from the Lord so we know how to be holy. The Bible is where God reveals His heart and mind. I like to think of it as God revealing His secrets to us. The Almighty whispering in my ear...

If this is not love, I'll never know what true loves is.

The Advantage of a Biblical Worldview

Having a Biblical wordview is in essence is having the mind of Christ. When one understands the magnitude of what God has blessed them with, how can one walk around defeated? I get the trials of life are real - real painful and debilitating, but this is where we have to realize we are in a war, a truth war. You must lock in and fight the good fight of faith (2 Timothy 4:7). Again, if you are only looking at what you see, like Peter you are going to sink into despair because for the person that forgets the promises and power of God, your faith will fail and you will fall. Get back up! Confess your sins to the Lord, and He will forgive you and get back in the race (1 John 1:9). 

Can we have Joy and Peace in chaos?

Yes! Jesus has given His joy and peace to abide with us forever. In John 14:27 Jesus said to His disciples that He would give them His peace. He also said that His joy no one would be able to take from them (John 16:22). Jesus also promised them that in the world they would have trouble (John 16:33). So we learn that all of these things are happening at the same time: Trouble and pain, joy and peace. God's joy and peace if one understands and claims it will fight against and prevail over the evil in our lives.

Paul in II Corinthians 4 is revealing powerful and glorious truths. He talks about the believer's present condition and future glory:

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed - always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus's sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you (II Corinthians 4:7-12)

And later in the same chapter Paul says:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (II Corinthians 4:16-18).

That is the crux of this article. What we are to look at is the unseen, and not the seen. For what we see will fade from focus. What we now cannot see will soon come into focus.

These words are awesome. What I love about God's word is that it never sugarcoats the bad news. Also the good news is far greater than the bad news so we as believers have hope that although this world is fading away, our eternal blessings is waiting for us once we are glorified.

I can hardly wait!

Life is hard beloved because of our sin. There is an eternal difference between the believer and non believer. The former has hope, the latter has no hope. The child of God has the kindgom of heaven as their possession and destination, now! Whereas the child of Satan has only the kingdom of darkness as their inheritance. The wonderful news is the gospel of Jesus Christ always offers hope for the hopeless, eternal life to the spiritual dead. Beware my friend! The door on getting things right with the Lord will close soon. Once He shuts the door on you it will be too late.